


embrace eternity

by isloremipsumafterall



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 09:37:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10383777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isloremipsumafterall/pseuds/isloremipsumafterall
Summary: Five times Liara and Shepard got interrupted (and the one time they didn't)





	

**One**

 

When Lena had come down to see Liara she hadn’t expected to find Liara on her hands and knees under the desk, muttering to herself.

 

“Liara?” Lena asked, confused.

 

Liara jumped and banged her head on the desk, crawling out to look up at Lena. “Um, I dropped my stylus behind the desk.” It could have been Lena’s imagination but she could have sworn that Liara’s freckles stood out with her skin flushing in embarrassment.

 

“Oh.” Lena said and then grinned, “I can help with that.” Instead of crawling under the desk she pulled it back to reach down and grab the stylus for Liara, pushing the desk back when she was done.

 

“My thanks.” Liara mumbled and Lena caught her looking at her arms as she handed the stylus to Liara. “I suppose I could have done that with my biotics, the thought didn’t occur to me. You’re very,” Liara cleared her throat, “Capable.”

 

Lena narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher what that could mean but Liara was still trying to subtly look at her arms without drawing attention. It hit Lena after a moment exactly what was going on and she stifled a laugh but did smile coyly. “I guess Asari’s work out with their mind more than their body.” Lena said, stretching on purpose to show off her muscles.

 

“Yes.” Liara sounded strained, trying to avert her gaze but doing a bad job at it.

 

“Must hurt less,” Lena sighed, “I usually end up with aches after a workout.”

 

“I could always help.” Liara offered quickly and then backtracked when she realized how it sounded. “I mean, I’m not trained for using my biotics to massage muscles but I have seen it done before. I’ve heard it can be quite relaxing.”

 

“Any chance you have the time now?” Lena dropped her voice to be purposely flirtatious, taking a step forward.

 

“Oh.” Liara wrung her hands for a second. “I could certainly give it a shot.” Liara said, reaching out but before she could touch Lena the door opened.

 

“Commander I thought I saw you coming in here, I had some questions regarding that injury you received on your last mission and – oh.” Chakwas stopped, raising her hand to her mouth to hide her smiled of bemusement and Lena looked up, counting to ten so she could face Chakwas without feeling like she’d been caught out doing something wrong.

 

“Right away. We can talk later, Doctor T’Soni.” Lena said, the picture of professionalism but on her way out she winked at Liara. Maybe she could convince Liara to join her in her cabin later to continue their talk.

 

 

**Two**

 

Movie night had become a regular part of down time on Lena’s insistence. It had started as a cross cultural exchange for the team to know each other better. There weren’t many Krogan films but Wrex sure liked the old human ones that were focused on action. Garrus had a lot of movies about honour and duty while Tali had a secret horde of romance ones that she grudgingly revealed.

 

Liara had offered up Asari ones but gotten nervous when Wrex asked her if they were his kind of movies or not.

 

“I’m afraid you’ll find them rather dull.” She admitted to Wrex and looked over at Lena, quietly pleading to be rescued from the conversation.

 

“Sit down Wrex.” Lena called out and then patted the seat next to her for Liara to take a seat. “Tonight is Kaidan’s turn anyway.”

 

He’d picked an old science fiction piece, thinking it amusing for the team to see what humans thought aliens would be like.

 

“By the goddess.” Liara said softly next to her as the screen was full of battle, “Did all humans think they’d be involved in war?”

 

Next to her she could hear Ashley snort and take another shot, her own personal game where every time Liara said ‘by the goddess’ or Garrus brought up calibrations or Tali tried to excuse herself to shuffle off back to engineering she’d take a shot. Lena elbowed her as a joke and turned to focus back on Liara.

 

“We just weren’t certain of how the galaxy would react to us. We were right in some areas.” She nodded to Garrus, thinking of the First Contact war. “But I’m glad we made peace in the end.”

 

“I’m glad you did too.” Liara said, reaching out to take Lena’s hand and continuing to hold it throughout the whole movie.

 

When it was over everyone slipped back to their quarters except Liara who remained sitting next to her.

 

“That was certainly enlightening for how you humans saw the galaxy.” Liara commented, reluctantly taking her hand back to rest it in her lap.

 

Lena felt cold and itched to take Liara’s hand again but forced herself not to push on that front. “I admit I’m fond of the cross species romance in that movie.” She said lightly, gauging Liara’s reaction. “At least we had that much.”

 

“I believe I’m fond of it as well.” Liara tilted her head slightly, smiling. Lena took a shot just then, leaning in a little bit closer and Liara inched closer as well. Their lips were almost touching, so close to a kiss but they broke apart when Wrex came barrelling back in the room.

 

He looked at the two of them and just started that deep Krogan chuckle he had, shaking his head. “Younglings.” He said, grabbing the food that he’d forgotten. Lena thought for a second he was going to comment more on them, something horrifyingly mortifying about not being too loud but Wrex just nodded at them and walked out while still chuckling.

 

No doubt she’d hear something about this later though. Lena dropped her face in to her hands and manage to move one hand long enough to wave goodbye to Liara as she stumbled out while muttering excuses.

 

 

**Three**

 

It had been too long and nothing about Lena felt the same. She could tell everyone it was still her but there was so much cybernetics in her now she felt more like machine then muscle like she once had been.

 

It made her hesitate when she pulled Liara in for a kiss and she regretted it almost immediately when Liara pulled back and looked hurt.

 

“I’m sorry,” Liara said, for all the wrong reasons and Lena shut her eyes trying to filter out the guilt.

 

“No, Liara, it isn’t you.” Lena sighed, “I just…” She struggled for the words to explain it but luckily within the two years she had been gone it seemed like Liara had gotten more experience. Her gaze shifted from hurt to concerned to unbearably fond in a matter of seconds.

 

“Shepard.” Liara leaned in, breathing against her lips before she kissed her again. “It’s all right. We’re both here.”

 

Lena kissed her back with a firm insistence, her fingers sliding over Liara’s cheek which was just as soft as she remembered. They had more years in them that had been lost to Lena and the thought made her stutter in to the kiss. All she wanted to do was pull Liara down with her and drive away the doubt and the loss with a new memory, something tangible to look back on.

 

“Uh Shepard, Hackett’s on the line and you may want to take this.” Joker’s voice came in over the intercom, reminiscent of his interruption back on the first Normandy and she and Liara exchanged a bemused look.

 

“I suppose I should get back.” Liara said, pulling her hands away though it was with great reluctance. “But if you ever need me, you know where to find me.”

 

“I’ll always need you Liara.” Lena said before she could stop herself.

 

Liara smiled at her, leaning in for just one more kiss before turning to walk out the door.

 

Lena sat down heavily on her bed, “Come back soon.” She whispered to the spot where Liara had been and then between one breath and the next she pulled herself together to continue on.

 

 

**Four**

 

Her skin buzzed, almost like she was surrounded by static and it made her laugh.

 

“So this is what biotics feel like?” Lena said, raising her hand to see the blue glow around it. Next to her Liara was holding her own hand out, concentrating with her power.

 

“Stop moving Shepard, I need to focus.” Liara teased her.

 

“You do not. You could do this in your sleep.” Lena retorted and held back a giggle as she felt something slide against her sides, tickling her lightly.

 

“True. But when I’m awake I can do a lot more with it.” The innuendo caught Lena by surprise and her breath felt like it was stuck in her throat in the wake of thoughts that followed it.

 

When she could finally speak she said, “I believe I’m owed a biotic massage from years ago.”

 

Liara hummed, “I remember something about that promise.”

 

Lena sat up, the blue glow around her faded and the cold hit her, making her shiver as goosebumps ran across her skin. She twisted on to her side, pulling Liara in to a kiss, her hand sliding down Liara’s skin and it made her feel light headed that they could finally have this again. There was nothing separating them anymore, not with the impending threat looming over them that tied them together.

 

It wasn’t in her mind though as stroked the cartilage that made up Laira’s crest scalp, like Joker she had teased Liara about them, saying they looked softer than they were but nonetheless she loved every part that made up Liara.

 

“Commander you are required on the bridge. There has been an incident.” EDI said and while she had sensors turned off in Lena’s cabin there was a hint of apology in EDI’s tone that she had learned recently which meant she knew what the two of them were up to.

 

Lena groaned and hit her head back on her pillow, making a face.

 

“Come on.” Liara said, offering her a hand. “Let’s go see what’s happened now.”

 

 

**Five**

 

“Hmph.” Javik crossed his arms. “And the human James did not believe me when I told him you and the Asari were joined.”

 

Lena resisted the urge to throw her alarm clock at the door where Javik still stood.

 

“Javik in this cycle it’s polite to knock.” Liara said, looking embarrassed. At least they were still clothed and it really could have been worse but Lena was definitely moving her whole desk to block the door next time. Not that it would do any good but it might make her feel better.

 

 

**\+ One**

 

“You know what I’d like to do right now?” Lena asked, her tone deceptively mild.

 

“What’s that?” Liara asked from Lena’s chair in her cabin.

 

She leaned down, hugging Liara from behind and pressing her cheek to Liara’s. “Embrace eternity.” It was light hearted really, making Liara laugh and turn so she could kiss Lena in the awkward position.

 

“Follow me then.” She rose from the chair, taking Lena’s hand and leading her, “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Lena grinned, feeling free and weightless as she followed after Liara.


End file.
